West Des Moines Police Blotter: Dad Faces Child Endangerment, Assault Charges

Child protection authorities were notified after West Des Moines police took a report of a 4-year-old boy who allegedly suffered bruises and other injuries to his face while in the care of his father for weekend visitation.

In a Jan. 20 report, police said the boy was reluctant to tell his mother how he had gotten a black eye and abrasions around his mouth, or how blood came to be on his pants. But he did reportedly tell a close family friend that “Daddy hit me and I fell and hit the table” and “there was a bunch of blood,” but he was afraid to tell his mother.

Officer Chris Morgan wrote in his report that the boy’s mother said it wasn’t the first time her son had come home with injuries after visiting with his father. Several months ago, he reportedly told workers at his daycare that he received a large gash on his thumb while playing with one of his father’s guns.

According to Morgan’s report, the boy had numerous red marks on his face after the most recent visit, mostly around his right eye and nose, and was “visibly nervous” when asked how the injuries had occurred. He finally admitted that he was afraid to tell anyone how he’d gotten hurt, Morgan said.

Police are pursuing aggravated assault and child endangerment charges against the boy’s father, a 41-year-old West Des Moines man, and the Department of Human Services has been advised of the boy’s injuries.

Morgan told the boy’s mother of options for no-contact orders, and she is reportedly fearful of how the boy’s father will respond when served because he is reportedly “violent and owns many guns.”